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Third Day
-
Novel II

[Voice:
pampinea
]

[
001
]
A groom lies with the wife of King Agilulf, who learns
the fact, keeps his own counsel, finds out the groom
and shears him. The shorn shears all his fellows,
and so comes safe out of the scrape.

[Voice:
author
]

[
002
]
Filostrato's story, which the ladies had received now with
blushes now with laughter, being ended, the queen bade Pampinea
follow suit. Which behest Pampinea smilingly obeyed, and thus
began:

[Voice:
pampinea
]

[
003
]
Some there are whose indiscretion is such that they must needs
evince that they are fully cognizant of that which it were best
they should not know, and censuring the covert misdeeds of others,
augment beyond measure the disgrace which they would fain diminish.
The truth whereof, fair ladies, I mean to shew you in the contrary
case, wherein appears the astuteness of one that held, perhaps, an even
lower place than would have been Masetto's in the esteem of a
doughty king.

[Voice:
pampinea
]

[
004
]
Agilulf, King of the Lombards, who like his predecessors made
the city of Pavia in Lombardy the seat of his government, took
to wife Theodelinde, the widow of Authari, likewise King of the
Lombards, a lady very fair, wise and virtuous, but who was
unfortunate in her lover. [
005
]
For while the Lombards prospered in
peace under the wise and firm rule of King Agilulf, it so befell
that one of the Queen's grooms, a man born to very low estate,
but in native worth far above his mean office, and moreover not
a whit less tall and goodly of person than the King, became
inordinately enamoured of her. [
006
]
And as, for all his base condition,
he had sense enough to recognize that his love was in the last
degree presumptuous, he disclosed it to none, nay, he did not even
venture to tell her the tale by the mute eloquence of his eyes.
[
007
]
And albeit he lived without hope that he should ever be able to
win her favour, yet he inwardly gloried that he had fixed his
affections in so high a place; and being all aflame with passion,
he shewed himself zealous beyond any of his comrades to do whatever
he thought was likely to please the Queen. [
008
]
Whereby it came
about, that, when the Queen had to take horse, she would mount
the palfrey that he groomed rather than any other; and when she
did so, he deemed himself most highly favoured, and never quitted
her stirrup, esteeming himself happy if he might but touch her
clothes. [
009
]
But as 'tis frequently observed that love waxes as hope
wanes, so was it with this poor groom, insomuch that the burden
of this great hidden passion, alleviated by no hope, was most grievous
to bear, and from time to time, not being able to shake it off, he
purposed to die. [
010
]
And meditating on the mode, he was minded
that it should be of a kind to make it manifest that he died for the
love which he had borne and bore to the Queen, and also to afford
him an opportunity of trying his fortune whether his desire might
in whole or in part be gratified. [
011
]
He had no thought of speaking
to the Queen, nor yet of declaring his love to her by letter, for he
knew that 'twould be vain either to speak or to write; but he
resolved to try to devise some means whereby he might lie with
the Queen; which end might in no other way be compassed than
by contriving to get access to her in her bedroom; which could
only be by passing himself off as the King, who, as he knew, did
not always lie with her. [
012
]
Wherefore, that he might observe the
carriage and dress of the King as he passed to her room, he contrived
to conceal himself for several nights in a great hall of the
King's palace which separated the King's room from that of the
Queen: and on one of these nights he saw the King issue from
his room, wrapped in a great mantle, with a lighted torch in one
hand and a wand in the other, and cross the hall, and, saying
nothing, tap the door of the Queen's room with the wand once
or twice; whereupon the door was at once opened and the torch
taken from his hand. [
013
]
Having observed the King thus go and
return, and being bent on doing likewise, he found means to come
by a mantle like that which he had seen the King wear, and also
a torch and a wand: he then took a warm bath, and having
thoroughly cleansed himself, that the smell of the foul straw might
not offend the lady, or discover to her the deceit, he in this guise
concealed himself as he was wont in the great hall. [
014
]
He waited
only until all were asleep, and then, deeming the time come to
accomplish his purpose, or by his presumption clear a way to the death
which he coveted, he struck a light with the flint and steel which he
had brought with him; and having kindled his torch and wrapped
himself close in his mantle, he went to the door of the Queen's
room, and tapped on it twice with his wand. [
015
]
The door was opened
by a very drowsy chambermaid, who took the torch and put it out
of sight; whereupon without a word he passed within the curtain,
laid aside the mantle, and got into the bed where the Queen lay
asleep. [
016
]
Then, taking her in his arms and straining her to him
with ardour, making as if he were moody, because he knew that,
when the King was in such a frame, he would never hear aught,
in such wise, without word said either on his part or on hers,
he had more than once carnal cognizance of the Queen. Loath
indeed was he to leave her, but, fearing lest by too long tarrying
his achieved delight might be converted into woe, he rose, resumed
the mantle and the light, and leaving the room without a word,
returned with all speed to his bed. [
017
]
He was hardly there when the
King got up and entered the Queen's room; whereat she wondered
not a little; but, reassured by the gladsome greeting which he gave
her as he got into bed, she said:
“
My lord, what a surprise is this
to-night! 'Twas but now you left me after an unwonted measure
of enjoyment, and do you now return so soon? consider what you
do.
”
[
018
]
From these words the King at once inferred that the Queen
had been deceived by some one that had counterfeited his person
and carriage; but, at the same time, bethinking himself that, as
neither the Queen nor any other had detected the cheat, 'twas
best to leave her in ignorance, he wisely kept silence. Which
many a fool would not have done, but would have said:
“
Nay,
'twas not I that was here. Who was it that was here? How
came it to pass? Who came hither?
”
[
019
]
Whereby in the sequel
he might have caused the lady needless chagrin, and given her
occasion to desire another such experience as she had had; and
so have brought disgrace upon himself by uttering that, from which,
unuttered, no shame could have resulted.
[
020
]
Wherefore, betraying
little, either by his mien or by his words, of the disquietude which
he felt, the King replied:
“
Madam, seem I such to you that you
cannot suppose that I should have been with you once, and returned
to you immediately afterwards?
”
[
021
]
“
Nay, not so, my lord,
”
returned
the lady,
“
but none the less I pray you to look to your health.
”
[
022
]
Then said the King:
“
And I am minded to take your advice;
wherefore, without giving you further trouble I will leave you.
”
[
023
]
So, angered and incensed beyond measure by the trick which, he
saw, had been played upon him, he resumed his mantle and quitted
the room with the intention of privily detecting the offender,
deeming that he must belong to the palace, and that, whoever he
might be, he could not have quitted it. [
024
]
So, taking with him a
small lantern which shewed only a glimmer of light, he went into
the dormitory which was over the palace-stables and was of great
length, insomuch that well-nigh all the men-servants slept there
in divers beds, and arguing that, by whomsoever that of which the
Queen spoke was done, his heart and pulse could not after such
a strain as yet have ceased to throb, he began cautiously with one
of the head-grooms, and so went from bed to bed feeling at the
heart of each man to see if it was thumping. [
025
]
All were asleep,
save only he that had been with the Queen, who, seeing the King
come, and guessing what he sought to discover, began to be mightily
afraid, insomuch that to the agitation which his late exertion had
communicated to his heart, terror now added one yet more violent;
nor did he doubt that, should the King perceive it, he would kill
him. [
026
]
Divers alternatives of action thronged his mind; but at last,
observing that the King was unarmed, he resolved to make as if
he were asleep, and wait to see what the King would do. So,
having tried many and found none that he deemed the culprit, the
King came at last to the culprit himself, and marking the thumping
of his heart, said to himself: This is he. [
027
]
But being minded to afford
no clue to his ulterior purpose, he did no more than with a pair of
scissors which he had brought with him shear away on one side
of the man's head a portion of his locks, which, as was then the
fashion, he wore very long, that by this token he might recognize
him on the morrow; and having so done, he departed and returned
to his room. [
028
]
The groom, who was fully sensible of what the King
had done, and being a shrewd fellow understood very well to what
end he was so marked, got up without a moment's delay; and,
having found a pair of scissors--for, as it chanced, there were several
pairs there belonging to the stables for use in grooming the horses--he
went quietly through the dormitory and in like manner sheared
the locks of each of the sleepers just above the ear; which done
without disturbing any, he went back to bed.

[Voice:
pampinea
]

[
029
]
On the morrow, as soon as the King was risen, and before the
gates of the palace were opened, he summoned all his men-servants to
his presence, and, as they stood bareheaded before him, scanned them
closely to see whether the one whom he had sheared was there; and
observing with surprise that the more part of them were all sheared
in the same manner, said to himself: Of a surety this fellow, whom
I go about to detect, evinces, for all his base condition, a high degree
of sense. [
030
]
Then, recognising that he could not compass his end
without causing a bruit, and not being minded to brave so great a
dishonour in order to be avenged upon so petty an offender, he was
content by a single word of admonition to shew him that his offence
had not escaped notice. Wherefore turning to them all, he said:
“
He that did it, let him do it no more, and get you hence in God's
peace.
”
[
031
]
Another would have put them to the strappado, the question,
the torture, and thereby have brought to light that which one should
rather be sedulous to cloak; and having so brought it to light, would,
however complete the retribution which he exacted, have not
lessened but vastly augmented his disgrace, and sullied the fair fame
of his lady. Those who heard the King's parting admonition
wondered, and made much question with one another, what the
King might have meant to convey by it; but 'twas understood by
none but him to whom it referred: who was discreet enough never to
reveal the secret as long as the King lived, or again to stake his life
on such a venture.